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Water is as good a comfort food as chocolate, says study

Like water for chocolate? Researchers now say that water may be just as effective a comfort food as chocolate, but without the calories.

By Bryan NelsonThu, Oct 15 2009 at 8:20 AM EST
 10

Photo: baking_in_pearls/Flickr
When it comes to comfort food, nothing quite seems to quell the blues like a spoon in one hand and a vat of chocolate ice cream in the other. Sweets and other high calorie foods are often where people turn when they're feeling stressed out. But now a new study out of the University of Chicago has discovered a healthier alternative which is just as effective: water.
 
According to the researchers, many animals experience pain relief when eating or drinking as a natural way of avoiding distraction while rehydrating or consuming scarce food. Unfortunately for modern humans, who have ready, easy access to high calorie food, that evolutionary response can instead lead to overeating and obesity.
 
Previous studies have proven that eating sweets like chocolate do help to reduce sensitivity to pain, but researchers wanted to see whether the same effect could be had without the high calories.
 
To experiment, they put rats in a pen with a heat lamp below the floor, which caused them pain in their paws when switched on. The rats were then fed either chocolate, sweetened water or regular water to see how their pain response was effected by what they were consuming.
 
Surprisingly, the study found that all three items showed the same pain-numbing effect on the rats. "This really shows it has nothing to do with calories. Water has no calories, saccharine has no sugar, but both have the same effect as a chocolate chip," said neurobiologist Peggy Mason. "It's really shocking."
 
Of course, this is good news for those who tend to rely on comfort food when they're feeling stressed out or depressed. But water is also a good replacement for the practice of using candy to calm children, especially in the case of that ambiguous lollipop at the dentist's office.
 
"Ingestion is a painkiller but we don't need the sugar," Mason said.
 
Indeed, a long, stressful day is no longer an excuse to pick up that spoon. It's better to battle the blues and the bloat by drowning your sorrows in a glass of water instead.
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Related Topics: Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Water

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anonymous
steve 11/16/2009 08:34 AM

would eating rats be an effective painkiller?

anonymous
John F. 11/16/2009 05:39 AM

I suppose waiting to collect enough lab rats who are down in the dumps about their ended relationships takes to long... hence the hot plate. That aside, we live some of the year in France (land of some pretty amazing chocolate)... and it's interesting to note that the school teachers give little children a sip of water as soon as they've fallen in the schoolyard, etc. So much that if your five-year-old has a "boo boo" that's often something he'll ask for (well, that and a kiss).

anonymous
Marilynne 10/21/2009 04:36 AM

So, I came over to read what sounded like a really interesting article. Torturing rats somehow didn't fit my expectations. My first now to be my last visit to this website hugely dissapointing!

anonymous
Pam 10/20/2009 18:02 PM

I am really suprised that this 'mother nature' network would print an article that made a point by the scientific torturing of rats! Shame...

anonymous
Kathy 10/19/2009 16:26 PM

I do not believe that the rat experiment proves anything. Everyone that posted has great points. If we were being tortured like the rats, I am sure we would accept all three offerings like the rats, for anything would be better than pain..
My comfort food is a combination of smells and taste, and water is not even in the picture.

anonymous
Jela 10/15/2009 21:08 PM

As a chick especially when it comes to that time of the month and if I want chocolate as my comfort food thats what I am having . Water is much better for you to have but when a craving strikes I am not going to ignore it for water. It may have the same affect on the body a feeling of some sort of fulfillment but A part of the comfort food thing is the taste and smells maybe even consistency of the the food. Some people like coffee as a comfort thing. I think it comes down to a matter of taste.... More

anonymous
Tim 10/15/2009 13:05 PM

Interesting study Brian. Of course, there are a lot of important factors left out as well. I'd guess chocolate would provide more comfort if one was hungry, and water if one was more thirsty- but it might be difficult to ask the rats in the experiment that.

Also, as far as real heal and sustained comfort goes, many don't realize how important it is to get the right kind of water. Readers might find this website interesting on that topic. phkey.com

anonymous
Guest 12/09/2009 14:35 PM

Have you tried Metromint Chocolatemint? Its pure water with cocoa essence...which means no calories so you get the best of both worlds!

anonymous
Elizabeth 10/15/2009 12:40 PM

I love water. I drink it like it's my job. I also love chocolate because it's creamy and tastes good. If I want chocolate, water will not be a good substitute. These two things may make make your body feel the same, but isn't comfort food also about delicious smells and tastes? It's a full sensory experience that you won't get in a glass of water.

anonymous
ginafly 10/15/2009 10:54 AM

This is interesting, but was it really worth torturing rats to find this out? I don't think so.

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